Enhanced fallback to in-band mode for emergency calling

Abstract

Techniques are disclosed for increasing the reliability of transferring data via in-band signaling in a audio channel of a communication network. Techniques include causing an audio decoding process to modify the decoding of audio signals for the audio channel based on obtaining an indication of in-band signaling. The modified decoding may replace an adaptive de-jitter buffer by a static de-jitter buffer or increase the buffering time of an adaptive de jitter buffer. The decoded audio signals may be provided to an in-band message detector, an audio encoder or an audio playback device based on the indication of in-band signaling. The techniques may be employed by a user equipment, a media gateway control function or a media gateway to improve the reliability of in-band transfer of a minimum set of data (MSD) for a Next Generation eCall.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method at a communications device of increasing reliability of the transfer of data received via in-band signaling during a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) eCall or a next generation eCall, the method comprising:
 obtaining, at an entity configured to decode audio signals on an audio channel of a communication network, an indication that a minimum set of data (MSD) transfer for the eCall or the next generation eCall, in accordance with 3GPP, will not occur out-of-band or an indication of in-band signaling to transfer the minimum set of data (MSD) during the eCall or the next generation eCall in accordance with 3GPP, wherein:
 the in-band signaling occurs in the audio channel of the communication network; and 
 
 in response to obtaining the indication that a minimum set of data (MSD) transfer for the eCall or the next generation eCall will not occur out-of-band or the indication of in-band signaling, causing the entity to utilize a modified decoding process to decode audio signals for the audio channel, wherein the modified decoding process comprises:
 disabling an adaptive de-jitter buffer, or 
 increasing a time interval for audio packet buffering in the adaptive de-jitter buffer. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the communication network comprises a Long Term Evolution network. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indication of in-band signaling is obtained from a message received from a remote device. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the indication of in-band signaling is obtained via a detector analyzing signals transmitted on the audio channel. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein the modified decoding process further comprises disabling the adaptive de-litter buffer and using a static de-jitter buffer. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising providing the decoded audio signals to at least one of an in-band message detector, an audio encoder, or an audio playback device based on the indication of in-band signaling. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the communications device is a user equipment and the data is the MSD for the next generation eCall. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 6 , wherein the communications device is a Media Gateway, the data is the MSD for the next generation eCall and the modified decoding process comprises a transcoding process. 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to obtaining the indication of in-band signaling, sending a message to a device generating the in-band signaling, wherein the message is indicative of a codec to utilize for communicating the in-band signaling. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, in response to obtaining the indication of in-band signaling, causing a bandwidth of the audio channel to be increased. 
     
     
       11. A device for increasing reliability of the transfer of data received via in-band signaling during a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) eCall or a next generation eCall, the device comprising:
 a communications subsystem; and 
 a processing unit communicatively coupled to the communications subsystem and configured to cause the device to: 
 decode audio signals on an audio channel of a communication network; 
 obtain an indication that a minimum set of data (MSD) transfer for the eCall or the next generation eCall, in accordance with 3GPP, will not occur out-of-band or an indication of in-band signaling to transfer the minimum set of data (MSD) during the eCall or the next generation eCall in accordance with 3GPP, wherein:
 the in-band signaling occurs in the audio channel of the communication network; and 
 
 in response to obtaining the indication that a minimum set of data (MSD) transfer for the eCall or the next generation eCall will not occur out-of-band or the indication of in-band signaling, utilize a modified decoding process to decode audio signals for the audio channel, wherein the modified decoding process comprises:
 disabling an adaptive de-jitter buffer, or 
 increasing a time interval for audio packet buffering in the adaptive de-jitter buffer. 
 
 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the communications subsystem is configured to obtain the indication of in-band signaling from a message received from a remote device. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 11 , further comprising a detector configured to analyze signals transmitted on the audio channel to obtain the indication of in-band signaling. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the processing unit is configured to cause the device to disable the adaptive de-litter buffer and use a static de-jitter buffer as part of the modified decoding process. 
     
     
       15. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the processing unit is configured to cause the device to provide the decoded audio signals to at least one of an in-band message detector, an audio encoder, or an audio playback device based on the indication of in-band signaling. 
     
     
       16. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the processing unit is configured to cause the device to, in response to obtaining the indication of in-band signaling, send a message, via the communications subsystem, to a device generating the in-band signaling, wherein the message is indicative of a codec to utilize for communicating the in-band signaling. 
     
     
       17. The device of  claim 11 , wherein the processing unit is configured to cause the device to, in response to obtaining the indication of in-band signaling, cause a bandwidth of the audio channel to be increased. 
     
     
       18. An apparatus for increasing reliability of the transfer of data received via in-band signaling during a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) eCall or a next generation eCall, the apparatus comprising:
 means for obtaining, at an entity configured to decode audio signals on an audio channel of a communication network, an indication that a minimum set of data (MSD) transfer for the eCall or the next generation eCall, in accordance with 3GPP, will not occur out-of-band or an indication of in-band signaling to transfer the minimum set of data (MSD) during the eCall or the next generation eCall in accordance with 3GPP, wherein:
 the in-band signaling occurs in the audio channel of the communication network; and 
 
 means for, in response to obtaining the indication that a minimum set of data (MSD) transfer for the eCall or the next generation eCall will not occur out-of-band or the indication of in-band signaling, causing the entity to utilize a modified decoding process to decode audio signals for the audio channel, where in the modified decoding process comprises:
 disabling an adaptive de-jitter buffer, or 
 increasing a time interval for audio packet buffering in the adaptive de-jitter buffer. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the means for causing the entity to utilize the modified decoding process comprises means for disabling the adaptive de-litter buffer and further comprises means for using a static de-jitter buffer. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising means for providing the decoded audio signals to at least one of an in-band message detector, an audio encoder, or an audio playback device based on the indication of in-band signaling. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising means for, in response to obtaining the indication of in-band signaling, sending a message to a device generating the in-band signaling, wherein the message is indicative of a codec to utilize for communicating the in-band signaling. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 18 , further comprising means for, in response to obtaining the indication of in-band signaling, causing a bandwidth of the audio channel to be increased. 
     
     
       23. A non-transitory computer readable medium having instructions embedded thereon for increasing reliability of the transfer of data received via in-band signaling during a 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) eCall or a next generation eCall, the instructions including computer code for:
 decoding audio signals on an audio channel of a communication network; 
 obtaining an indication that a minimum set of data (MSD) transfer for the eCall or the next generation eCall, in accordance with 3GPP, will not occur out-of-band or an indication of in-band signaling to transfer the minimum set of data (MSD) during the eCall or the next generation eCall in accordance with 3GPP, wherein:
 the in-band signaling occurs in the audio channel of the communication network; and 
 
 in response to obtaining the indication that a minimum set of data (MSD) transfer for the eCall or the next generation eCall will not occur out-of-band or the indication of in-band signaling, utilizing a modified decoding process to decode audio signals for the audio channel, wherein the modified decoding process comprises:
 disabling an adaptive de-litter buffer, or 
 increasing a time interval for audio packet buffering in the adaptive de-litter buffer. 
 
 
     
     
       24. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein the computer code for utilizing the modified decoding process comprises computer code for disabling the adaptive de-jitter buffer and further comprises computer code for using a static de jitter buffer. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 1 , wherein disabling the adaptive de jitter buffer comprises bypassing the adaptive de-jitter buffer to decode the MSD. 
     
     
       26. The device of  claim 11 , wherein disabling the adaptive de-jitter buffer comprises bypassing the adaptive de-jitter buffer to decode the MSD. 
     
     
       27. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein disabling the adaptive de-jitter buffer comprises bypassing the adaptive de-jitter buffer to decode the MSD. 
     
     
       28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of  claim 23 , wherein disabling the adaptive de-jitter buffer comprises bypassing the adaptive de jitter buffer to decode the MSD.